This was a fun, small-town holiday romance read that’s been on my TBR list for quite some time, so I finally got to it. Plus, it takes place at a library, which automatically ticked a box for me.
The story follows twenty-four-year-old Toby Kincaid, a junior librarian in the town of Sandy Lake, Ohio. He spends his days at the library with his enigmatic boss, Sean Miggles, on whom Toby harbors a secret crush. Toby would love to get closer to Mr. Miggles, but his boss keeps his distance and rebuff Toby’s flirtations. Toby seems to notice a darkness or sadness surrounding the man as though he’s gone through a horrendous event.
The calmness of Toby’s days come to an end, and the story takes somewhat of a dark turn when Sean is accused of a horrible crime that could destroy him — a crime that Toby knows the man did not commit. Toby is determined to help his boss and prove the man’s innocence, but in order to do so, he ends up unearthing some of that darkness in the man’s past.
I loved all the characters in this story, especially Mr. Miggles, who was not only devoted to the library but also to the community as a whole and made the world a better place just by being in it. And, of course, Toby, an absolute sweetheart who steps out of his comfort zone and does whatever it takes to help Mr. Miggles and the library. He also goes out of his way to ensure that Sean didn’t give up, no matter how bleak the situation looked. There was also a cast of lovable secondary characters, each of whom added an essential element to the story.
This was such an endearing, sweet story that tugged on my heartstrings. It was not just about love, but also about community, family, commitment, and doing what’s right. This was a story with a huge heart that caused me to shed a tear or two at the end…but in a good way, and it gave me a warm, happy glow at the end. I loved the chemistry between our two main characters, who both got their HEA at the end. I also appreciated the conversation about the importance of libraries to the community. I also appreciated that we have two main characters that love books.
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